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A new species of boa constrictor has been discovered after one slithered onto the head of the leader of an expedition to a remote Caribbean island.

The Silver Boa [Chilabothrus argentum] was discovered on an island in the Bahamas, with scientists identifying 20 of the three-foot long snakes during two expeditions.

Dr Graham Reynolds, from Harvard University, found the first specimen climbing a Silver Palm tree and confirmed it was a previously unknown species after conducting a genetic analysis of tissue samples.

“Worldwide, new species of frogs and lizards are being discovered and described with some regularity. New species of snakes, however, are much rarer,” Robert Henderson, from the Milwaukee Museum of Natural History in the US, told PA.

“Graham Reynolds and his co-authors have not only discovered and described a new species of snake, but even more remarkable, a new species of boa. That's rare, exciting, and newsworthy.

“The beautiful Bahamian Silver Boa, already possibly critically endangered, reminds us that important discoveries are still waiting to be made.”

A report by the researchers explained the surprising moment they encountered one of the snakes: “As Dr Reynolds slept, a boa crawled down from the forest, across the beach, and directly onto his head.

“This caused him to awake with a start, and upon realising what had happened, he awoke the others to inform them that they had found their sixth animal.”